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Show page 141 "I reckon a l l birds fly." "Not j a i l b i r d s , boy." Posh laughed uproariously. Lonnie flicked mud from around one ankle. Lox^ering his feet, he leaned forward to the windshield. Everything about the approach t o town was of interest to him: signs, gas s t a t i o n s , e l e c t r i c wires, trucks, buses, even the clothes folks wore. He was s t i l l pressed to the windshield taking in the newness when the car rolled to a stop in the j a i l yard. Posh moved around to Lonnie's door. "Come on, boy, haul your ashes out of t h e r e ." Lonnie scrambled out and stood uncertain beside the car. He tugged at his faded overalls. They were shrunken and covered only half his lower legs. He pulled again at a g a l i u s as Posh motioned him toward the two-storied red brick j a i l. "Don't t r y t o run now, boy- I can put a bullet in you at f i f t y yards." T o l l i v e r ' s words were in sharp contrast to the green elms, the well-kept lawn, and homey atmosphere of the j a i l premises. Lonnie, on the j a i l ' s back porch, stood to one side of the door while the deputy rang a b e l l and mopped at his bald head. " I t ' s hot, a i n ' t i t , boy?" " I t a i n ' t too hot up where I l i v e . Anyway, i t a i n ' t as hot as here. I a i n ' t hankering to s t a y here." "You knoll folks always gunning for something or somebody," Tolliver said. "You might stay awhile whether you like i t or not." "I don't gun nothing no more since I trained General Burn-side. B^'e^CHar^Tarley^^opped me in the woods, helped me name |
